Start Over Again
by Alithea
Summary: Post EW, and an accompaniment to And Then the Rain. Nichol is happy in his little corner of the Preventer world, and then he's given chance to shine. He just has to put up with a Gundam pilot. M/M content.


**Title: Start Over Again**  
><strong>Rating: PG-13<strong>  
><strong>MM content. Characters are not mine I am just borrowing.**  
><strong>AN: Written for Jilly-chan, and as a mild accompaniment to And Then the Rain.**

Nichol took his move from the Preventer offices and into the shuttle hangers as a promotion. He had hated being cooped up in the office. He understood he was never going to get fancy missions, or lead armed backup squads, but the paperwork had been torture. At least he felt useful getting his hands dirty fixing broken down shuttles, and on occasion a mobile doll that was being used for surveillance purposes.

He wiped down a few of his tools and then watched as a few suits entered his territory. They were chattering about the newly terraformed planet, but he just caught key words like manned mobile suits, and security lapses. He sniffed and rattled around in his toolbox so that the suits would know someone was around.

It didn't stop them from discussing, what was obviously, confidential information, which made him more curious. He stepped around the shuttle he was repairing and looked the group over. Then he held his breath as Une eyed him from across the hanger, and smiled.

He blinked and then focused on the young man next to her. Nichol thought the blonde looked too much like a kid, and then it dawned on him that that kid was probably one of the Gundam pilots. He scratched his head and tried not to laugh.

Even doing something he enjoyed the universe conspired to torture him. A Gundam pilot was in his hanger. It wasn't Barton, which was a blessing, but it was still some damned kid. A damned kid, who turned and smiled happily at him, and made him wonder why he was so upset.

It was a few months later that the project was set before him. Apparently, only his skills would do for the mission at hand. Une needed to have some old Taurus models revamped and set up with a sort of cloaking device. It wouldn't make the suits invisible so much as make them undetected by sensors.

The mobile suits would then be used in covert missions, and most especially to protect the planet Ariadne from any unexpected attacks.

It was a dream come true except that he had to work with the Gundam kid, who introduced himself as Quatre Raberba Winner. Which made Nichol feel even worse, because it wasn't just a Gundam kid, it was the rich, and well known and liked Gundam kid.

"I'm sure we'll get along," Quatre had said.

Nichol nodded. "Sure." But he didn't really mean it, except that somewhere he must have.

A week into the project they had their first fight. Nichol was right. He knew he was right. The suits couldn't handle the output at the range Quatre wanted. He tried to explain it simply, but the young man kept insisting, and insisting.

Finally, Nichol threw his wrench down and stormed outside. Quatre blinked and then continued working. After ten minutes he strolled outside and approached Nichol who was kicking rocks around.

"You were right," Quatre said. "I need to make some adjustments."

Nichol nodded and then felt a little guilty for throwing such a tantrum.

"Don't apologize, Nichol," Quatre said. "I should have trusted you. You're the best mechanic around for this sort of thing. You know what you're talking about. I was just being stubborn."

Nichol blinked and then said, "Why don't I clean up, and we can get a beer somewhere?"

Quatre smiled. "It's a date."

"A what?"

He wasn't sure why he was surprised by his reaction to Quatre's first strong overture. For a little guy Quatre was very strong, and that kiss destroyed any chance of resistance from Nichol. Nichol had always failed at past flirtations, and suddenly being success at one threw him further off balance.

It was a week later when Quatre asked him to attend a fancy dress party that he knew he was utterly taken. He stood uncomfortable in his tuxedo and let Quatre straighten his tie.

"Don't worry about it," Quatre said. "Only one of my sisters is here tonight and she's pretty understanding."

"Lovely."

"You are adorable when you're nervous."

Then Quatre winked at him and he knew he'd survive the night.


End file.
